Coraline: Madness Returns
by PennyMew8090
Summary: Coraline Jones runs away from home after trying to convince her mother that the Beldam was real, since her mother wouldn't believe her. While walking through the woods, she meets Alice Liddell, and the two discover that they have a lot in common. Cheshire had told Alice about a new evil in Wonderland, and it's up to Alice and Coraline to stop an old enemy. (Rated T just to be safe)
1. They Won't Believe Me

Chapter 1: They Won't Believe Me...

The sound of the 11-year-old slamming her fist on the table echoed through the kitchen.  
"It was REAL, Mom!" the blue-haired girl yelled at her mother. Her mother narrowed her eyes at her daughter and crossed her arms.  
"You HONESTLY expect me to believe that you went through that little door in the den and found a parallel universe?" her mother asked, "Coraline, STOP pretending! I don't have time for this."  
Tears of pure anger began to well up in the child's hazel eyes, but she refused to let them fall.  
"Mom, I'm not pretending!" Coraline yelled, "I'm telling the truth! Have I EVER lied before?!"  
"Coraline, I don't have time for this, now calm down!" her mother snapped, sharply. Her sharp tone caused Coraline to wince slightly, but she clenched her fists and wouldn't let herself lose this fight.  
"Oh, OF COURSE you don't have time for this!" Coraline said, "Ya know, sometimes I think that you care more about your stupid job than you do about me!"  
"You know that's not true!" her mother said, taking a step closer, "Now do like I said and calm down!"  
"But, Mom, the dream was real!" Coraline shouted, "Please just believe me!"  
Her mother glared at her sharply.  
"Coraline. Go to your room. NOW." her mother said. Coraline's cheeks turned red with anger, her vision being blurred by her tears. Everything in the room seemed to distort as tears began to fall from her eyes. Unable to think of anything else to say, although she wanted to think of something, Coraline ran up to her room, slamming the door shut behind her. She sat against the door and hugged her knees, burying her face in them.  
"I hate her!" Coraline said, "I hate her! I hate her! I hate her!"  
When her sobbing ceased, she could hear her mother talking to her father. She held her breath so she could hear every word.  
"Mel, I don't think we should go THAT far..." her father said.  
"Charlie, she thinks that there's an alternate universe in that little door." her mother said, "I don't think we really have any other option. I'm calling the hospital as soon as she goes to sleep."  
"Mel..." her father's voice trailed off.  
"Charlie, I'm calling them, you can't stop me." her mother said. Coraline's eyes widened in shock. The ache of betrayal clenched at her stomach. Her breathing became faster and heavier.  
"N-no... She can't be... Calling the mental hospital?!" Coraline wondered aloud, "N-no... Why would she do this? Why won't she listen?! Jerkwads... They're both selfish workaholics who wouldn't care if I got hit by a train!"  
Coraline harshly kicked the wall in anger. After a moment of heavy breathing, her feelings transferred from anger to sadness.  
"I-I need to convince them that I'm not crazy, but..." Coraline was silent for a few seconds, then continued, "They won't believe me..."

* * *

"She's utterly mad, isn't she?" the young woman heard a small boy say to his mother.  
"Don't whisper, it's not polite." his mother said, "And she can't help it, now can she?"  
"I suppose not..." the boy said. Alice Liddell clenched her fists and continued walking, her gray dress swishing along with her movement.  
"Bastards..." Alice muttered when she was far enough from them so that they couldn't hear, "Don't they have anything else to talk about besides me? Ugh... This world is so annoying..."  
Alice continued walking back to the orphanage, although she despised that place, she didn't have a choice but to stay. After all, where else could she go? Live on the streets? Certainly not. With a sigh Alice saw that she was getting closer to the orphanage.  
"Oh, forget it." Alice said sharply, "I'm not going back there. Ever. Hm... I suppose maybe there's a way to get to America from Wonderland... I've heard that America is rather nice... I'd better not be disappointed."  
With that Alice turned around and crossed her arms.  
"Alright, I'm ready to go now." Alice said. Almost instantly, everyone walking on the streets appeared to be giant bug-like creatures. Although Alice had seen them many times, she still couldn't help but take a step back in shock. The ground beneath her began to shake, and then it crumbled, causing her to fall into Wonderland. She was then wearing a blue and white dress with a ribbon that was tied in a bow with a skull in the middle of it. Her hair was now jet black, and she held her vorpal blade tightly as she landed. Cheshire appeared almost instantly.  
"How nice to see you again, Alice." Cheshire said, "And just in time, too."  
Alice raised a brow.  
"Whatever do you mean?" Alice asked, "What's happening this time?"  
Cheshire chuckled, which annoyed Alice greatly.  
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough." Cheshire said, "And you're wanting to somehow travel to another part of the earth if I heard you correctly."  
"Indeed." Alice said, "America. I've heard it's quite nice there. Pah, I'LL be the judge of that."  
"Of course." Cheshire said with a chuckle, "How appropriate that you want to go to America... When the person you need to help you is there."  
"I need someone to help me?" Alice asked, "Whatever is going on?"  
"Like I've said before, you'll find out soon enough." Cheshire said, "Well, if you want to get to 'America', then just shut your eyes, and when you open them you'll be there."  
"Yes." Alice said, "Thank you, Cheshire."  
With that Alice tightly shut her eyes, and a thought came to her.  
_"Will that person Cheshire spoke of believe me?" _Alice wondered, _"I know for sure that no one back at the orphanage would... Let alone the asylum, or anywhere else that I've been besides Wonderland. They won't believe me... Will they?"_


	2. New Friends

Chapter 2: New Friends.

The sun was just beginning to disappear into the horizon as Coraline put on her favorite hat and vest along with her long-sleeved blue shirt and black jeans, (not the ones the Beldam had given her.)  
"Well... I guess they'll have what they want now." Coraline said, "No little brat here to bother them."  
A familiar "Reowww..." came from outside the blue-haired girl's window. She turned and saw Cat sitting on the window sill with his head tilted to the right. Coraline sighed.  
"Cat, I don't have time right now." she whispered, opening the window, "I've gotta get outta here."  
Cat's tail began to slowly wag back and forth, the tip of it flicking a bit with each wag, and his eyes narrowed.  
"What?" Coraline asked, beginning to get irritated, "Well, you aren't stopping me from leaving."  
Cat purred as if he were sighing and then hopped off of the window sill and onto the roof.  
"Thank you..." Coraline said. As she climbed out the window and gently put each foot on the roof, tightly holding her flashlight she had brought, she let out a sigh.  
"Hey... Cat?" Coraline said. Cat looked at her.  
"I'm sorry..." she said, "I shouldn't have sounded so harsh. After all, you're the one who saved me from the Beldam, and you're one of my best friends. I would say you could come along, but Wybie probably needs you more than I do."  
Coraline felt something clench at her heart when she said Wybie's name, and she bit her lower lip. Talking about him wasn't making this runaway any easier. It was only making it worse.  
"I've gotta go now." Coraline said.  
She wasn't sure, but Cat looked almost... Sad. But it was hard to tell. He was a cat, after all. After petting him on the head gently for a moment, she took a deep breath, and jumped down from the roof. She wasn't as high up as she could've been, but it still hurt when she stumbled upon landing and fell onto her knees.  
"Gah!" she shouted in pain. She breathed through clenched teeth to try and ignore the sharp pain in her knees where she had scraped them and continued to walk, looking at the Pink Palace one last time before heading over toward Wybie's house. Although she knew it would only make this much harder for her, she had to at least see him one last time before leaving for good. Dead leaves crunched beneath her feet as she walked up the hill to Wybie's house. There was only one light on, and it was coming from Wybie's bedroom. She bit the inside of her cheek and then let out a deep sigh before climbing up some vines that were growing on the side of the house.  
"Just don't cry... Don't cry..." Coraline said to herself in a barely audible whisper, "The last thing you need is for Wybie to see you cry..."  
When she looked in the window, she saw Wybie sprawled out on his bed, asleep with the light still on. Apparently he had been drawing, judging from the pencils and paper on his bed. Coraline felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. She remembered the time when Wybie showed her all of his artwork; the Creepypasta drawings, the drawings of her and him defeating the Beldam, etc. Then she felt a twinge of pain at her heart, remembering that she would most likely never see him again. At least not for a long time. Carefully she climbed into the open window, (which was open so Cat could get inside if he needed to,) and gently placed her feet on the hardwood floor. With her eyes wide and her teeth clenched, she carefully grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil from Wybie's bed. She then wrote a note.

**Dear Wybie,**

**I'm running away.**

**My parents wouldn't believe me about the Beldam when I made the dumb mistake of trying to tell them, and now they think I'm crazy.**

**I heard Mom say that she was gonna call the mental hospital.**

**I need to get outta there.**

**There's NO WAY I'm spending the rest of my life in an insane asylum.**

**I may or may not come back, but if I don't, I just want you to know that... You're the best friend I've ever had.**

**Love, Coraline, or as you call me, Jonesy. **

She folded the note and then put it on Wybie's pillow, right beside his head. After glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she kissed the top of his forehead, quickly. She covered her mouth after she did. The thought of her doing that hadn't crossed her mind, it just sort of... Happened. Well, she wouldn't be seeing him again for at least a long time, so she figured she might as well. Before climbing back out the window, she turned to Wybie.  
"Bye, Wybie." she whispered. Then she climbed back out the window and climbed to the ground, sprinting to the woods without looking back.

* * *

When Alice opened her eyes, she found herself standing in the middle of the woods.  
"Hm... Well, now where am I?" Alice wondered aloud, "Am I out of Wonderland? Well, it doesn't appear to be Wonderland... It seems too ordinary. No, I must be in America now. But where in America?"  
Alice looked around and then saw she was now wearing her gray dress.  
"Well, I'm definitely NOT in Wonderland." she said.  
"Reowww..." a cat meowed. Alice turned around and saw a black cat sitting a few feet away from her.  
"Oh, hello there, puss." Alice said, holding her hand out and clicking her tongue to try and call it over to her. Instead, the cat gestured with its head for Alice to follow him. The cat then began walking, and Alice, having gotten the hint, followed him.  
_"Hm... I wonder where this little animal is going to lead me." _Alice wondered, _"It seems like things like this are becoming sort of a habit, isn't it?"  
_Soon, Alice could see a small figure ahead of them. As they got closer, Alice saw it was a young girl.  
_"Ah! Could this be the person Cheshire was speaking of?"_ Alice wondered. The cat then meowed again, and the blue-haired girl looked over at them.  
"Cat?" Coraline asked, looking at the cat. Then she looked at Alice.  
"Who're you?" Coraline asked, crossing her arms, "Another friend of Cat's?"  
"Something like that, I suppose." Alice said, "Might I ask what your name is and what you're doing out here?"  
Coraline narrowed her eyes and lowered her eyebrows.  
"It's Coraline." Coraline introduced herself, "And I'm not doing anything. I'm just... Going for a walk, that's all."  
"Oh, come now, Coraline, tell the truth." Cat said. Coraline looked over at Cat and raised a brow.  
"Hey! I thought you couldn't talk outside of the other world." Coraline said.  
"Well, we're closer to another world than you think." Cat said. Alice, however, didn't seem bothered by the fact that the cat was talking, and Coraline noticed that in a matter of seconds.  
_"Why isn't she freaking out?" _Coraline wondered, _"Normally someone would freak out if they heard a CAT TALK."  
_"Anyway, tell her the truth, Coraline." Cat said. Coraline was silent for a moment, and Alice looked at her, waiting for an answer.  
"I'm running away." Coraline said.  
"Really?" Alice asked, "That's quite a funny coincidence, because so am I."  
"You are?" Coraline asked.  
"Indeed." Alice said, "I've spent the majority of my life at an orphanage and an insane asylum for a few years, but let's not speak of that."  
"My parents were gonna send me to an insane asylum..." Coraline said, deciding to ignore the fact that Alice had been to one. After all, she was out of it now, right? She didn't seem like a psychotic killer or anything.  
"Whatever for?" Alice asked.  
"Because..." Coraline was silent for a moment, "Well..."  
Then Coraline proceeded to tell Alice everything about the incident. About the first day she moved there, the day she discovered the door, the day they tried to sew buttons in her eyes, and finally, when she and Wybie defeated the Beldam. Alice nodded her head slowly as Coraline spoke to show she was listening.  
"You certainly have been through a lot." Alice said, "So have I. And I was around your age, I believe, when I discovered Wonderland."  
Coraline listened eagerly as Alice told her about Wonderland.  
"Wow..." Coraline said, "So... You believe me?"  
"Of course." Alice said, smiling a little. That was the first time she had smiled all day, and since she had to be serious a lot, it was rare that she smiled. But she felt that she could relate to Coraline. Coraline returned the smile.  
"So, what's your name?" Coraline asked.  
"Alice Liddell." Alice introduced herself with a curtsy, "Pleased to meet you, Coraline."  
Coraline grinned. That was the first time in a while that someone had gotten her name right. Well, someone besides her parents or Wybie.  
"Nice to meet you too, Alice." Coraline said, "Thanks for getting my name right, heh. Most people call me 'Caroline' instead of 'Coraline'."  
"I imagine that gets quite annoying." Alice said.  
"Believe me, it does." Coraline said, "Especially after you've corrected them a million times."  
Alice wasn't sure, but she had a feeling that this would be her first real friend.  
"Oh, Coraline?" Alice asked.  
"Yeah?" Coraline asked.  
"I just wanted to ask..." Alice paused for dramatic effect, "Would you like to see Wonderland?"


	3. Wonderland Has A New Threat

Chapter 3: Wonderland Has A New Threat.

Excitement sparkled in Coraline's eyes as Alice mentioned going to Wonderland.  
"Really?" Coraline asked with a grin, "You'll show it to me?"  
Alice chuckled.  
"Yes." Alice said, "Now just one moment, we'll be there soon."  
"How do we get there?" Coraline asked.  
"You'll see." Alice said, "Just wait. Now close your eyes."  
Coraline obeyed, tightly shutting her eyes.  
"Okay, now what?" Coraline asked.  
"Now think of a world where nothing is what it seems to be." Alice said, "A world where everything is utterly mad."  
Coraline obeyed and smiled a little at the thought.  
"Now open your eyes." Alice said. When Coraline opened her eyes, a gasp of fear escaped her lips. There, surrounding her and Alice, where about 5 bug-like creatures.  
"Agh!" Coraline shouted, "What are those things?!"  
"They're quite startling, I know." Alice said, "But don't be frightened."  
The creatures began to get closer to them, and Coraline took a step back.  
"Are you sure they won't eat me?" Coraline asked.  
"Positive." Alice said. Suddenly the ground beneath them began to shake, and Coraline began to stumble, but regained her balance just in time.  
"U-uh... This is supposed to happen, right?" Coraline asked, "Just making sure..."  
"Yes, it is supposed to happen." Alice said with a small smile. Then the ground crumbled, and Coraline and Alice both fell into Wonderland.

* * *

Cat walked through Wonderland. He had gotten there before Alice and Coraline, but he never told them how. He figured there was no point.  
"Ah... Much nicer than the Other World." Cat said, stretching, "I suspect Coraline will like it here much better than that other place... And if she doesn't she's mad."  
"Well, we are ALL mad here." Cheshire said, appearing a few feet away from Cat. Cat hissed, startled. Then he regained his composure when he recognized who it was.  
"Oh, hello there, Cheshire." Cat said, "Good to see you again old friend."  
"The same to you, Cat." Cheshire said, "Never found a name, I presume?"  
"You've guessed correctly." Cat said, "The children just call me 'Cat'. Rather unimaginative, but I suppose it will do for now."  
Cheshire chuckled.  
"Indeed." Cheshire said, "The name suits you. Anyway, if I'm not mistaken, you helped save that little girl from that spider lady, I believe."  
"Yes, I did." Cat said, "Was there any reason for you bringing it up?"  
"Yes, there was, in fact." Cheshire said, "The Beldam is in Wonderland."  
Cat blinked in surprise.  
"Are you sure?" Cat asked, "I don't understand... How could she still be alive?"  
"That is something I do not know." Cheshire said, "But she's found her way into Wonderland, and she's after both Alice AND Coraline."  
"Why both?" Cat asked.  
"Do not ask me, for I'm not sure." Cheshire said, "But I'm quite sure I know why she wants Coraline: For revenge. She may want Alice so she won't have anyone in her way of taking over Wonderland. She needs a new realm, after all."  
"Yes..." Cat said, "We should warn them."  
"Yes." Cheshire said, "We must. They should be arriving soon."  
Cheshire began to disappear before Cat stopped him.  
"Um, Cheshire, I do not have your teleporting abilities..." Cat said, "Perhaps we should walk so I don't get myself lost."  
Cheshire reappeared and chuckled.  
"Yes, indeed." Cheshire said, "Follow me."  
With that, Cheshire began walking in the direction where Alice and Coraline were.

* * *

Coraline opened her eyes, which had been tightly shut during their fall into Wonderland. When she opened her eyes, she was amazed. The scenery was beautiful, yet odd. Strange, colorful plants, giant snails, rather large mushrooms, floating dominoes, everything about the place interested her. She was so distracted by the scenery that she didn't even notice that she wasn't wearing the same clothes she had had on before. Now she was wearing a dress like Alice's, only it was purple.  
"Whoa... This place is..." Coraline paused, trying to thing of a word to fit it perfectly, "Amazing!"  
Alice smiled a bit.  
"Indeed it is, I suppose." Alice said, "Hm... Coraline?"  
"Yeah?" Coraline asked, smiling and examining a strange flower.  
"Cheshire spoke of some sort of danger entering Wonderland..." Alice said, "He said someone would help me, and I suppose that someone is you."  
Coraline looked at Alice.  
"Danger?" she asked, "What kind of danger?"  
"I'm not sure." Alice said, "He didn't go into any details. He just said that we'd find out soon enough."  
"And you will." Cheshire said, walking up to them. Coraline jumped a bit at Cheshire's odd appearance. She'd never seen a cat with a grin, and a large grin at that.  
"Hm, you don't usually walk, Cheshire." Alice said, "You mostly teleport."  
"Yes, well, I had to bring along a friend who does not possess that ability." Cheshire said. Right on cue, Cat walked up to them.  
"Cat!" Coraline said with a smile, glad to see Cat.  
"Hello." Cat said, bowing his head and then lifting it up again, "Nice to see you again, Coraline."  
"Cheshire, what did you mean by danger?" Alice asked, putting her hands on her hips, "It's about time you tell us."  
"Well, I suppose it is, isn't it?" Cheshire asked, "Well, Miss Coraline, you remember the Beldam, do you not?"  
"Yeah, of course I remember her." Coraline asked, "I mean, someone who tries to sew buttons in your eyes doesn't really leave your memory that easy."  
Cheshire chuckled.  
"True." Cheshire said, "Anyway, she has returned, and she's in Wonderland."  
"What?!" Coraline and Alice exclaimed at the same time.  
"Why?" Coraline asked.  
"Well, for one thing, she wants you." Cheshire said, "Revenge, I suppose. She's after Alice as well. Doesn't want anyone getting in her way of taking over Wonderland and spinning her web here, and we cannot allow that, can we?"  
"No, no, not at all." Alice said, "Well, don't worry, Cheshire, we'll handle it."  
"I'm afraid this will be more difficult than you may think." Cheshire said, "More difficult for both of you. She's angry. Very angry, and she will not give up or be stopped easily. Be clever, or it will be your end."  
With that, Cheshire slowly vanished, his grin leaving last. Cat stood for a moment, then walked off, seeming to disappear into the colorful plants.  
"Oh, boy..." Coraline said.  
"Don't fret. We can stop her." Alice said.  
"But it's gonna be really difficult..." Coraline said, "You heard what Mr. Grinny said... And believe me, the first time I defeated her wasn't anywhere NEAR easy."  
"Well, how did you do it?" Alice asked, "Refresh my memory."  
"Well... We played a game." Coraline said, "She's got a thing for games."  
"Then that's how we stop her." Alice said with a smirk, "Now, come along. I suppose we should find a weapon for you."


End file.
